


Adventure

by orphan_account



Series: Adventure series (Black Butler x Reader) [2]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M, Literature, Multi, Romance, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-10-13 06:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 20,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10508589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The reader wants adventure and excitement. So exotic is the way to go, no? Or is a noble Englishman the right choice for our heroine? Perhaps a dastardly otherworldly man?





	1. Prologue

“My lord there is a letter for you from the Lady L/N.”

Ciel sighed, recalling the nature and countless reckless actions of the woman he considered a friend.

“I do hope, young master that she is not planning a ball, for your sake.” With a smirk, Sebastian placed the letter gently onto the desk in front of Ciel and began to retreat out of the room.

“What’s that meant to mean?” Ciel cried in indignation.

“Nothing, young master.” With those final words Sebastian let himself out of the room.

Sighing, Ciel picked up the letter, slitting the envelope open with his letter opener.

* * *

  
_To my dearest friend, Earl Phantomhive,_

  
As you know Mother’s rather upset with me because of my latest... dalliance with the tables. So she has threatened to disown me and has forced me out of the house until such a time as I ‘redeem myself’. She’s also rather upset because I became rather squiffy at my cousin’s engagement ball and knocked over the baroness Berkeley. It was all rather sordid because my grievance wasn’t the only one. We discovered that the youngest child of a Lord Temporal was interested in more than my cousin’s sisters flower arrangements. But that’s neither here nor there.

Mother wants to marry me off to your cousin Lord Edward Midford, brother of your fiancée. He’s so terribly dull and, well, English I must say. He seems thrilled but I am rather bored with being courted by boring English men who want to talk about my duties as a wife, the children we will have and what they expect of me. I want something more.

So, I am coming to live with you for a while. At least until Mother calms down enough to be brought back into her gossiping socialite circles. I hear there’s word of a new underground endeavour that involves pirates. I would love to meet a pirate.

Before you object to my staying with you, there are a few things you must consider.  
Firstly I did not tell your aunt about your lovely little adventure whilst you were meant to be working instead of attending another ball. I wonder how the Marchioness would respond to such knowledge.

Secondly, I helped you on your last case by gaining you access into the gossip circles that I scarcely think appropriate for any man much less an unmarried one to join.

Thirdly, by the time you receive my letter I will be less than a mile away from your manor.

I can hardly wait to see you and your devilishly handsome butler and your passionate cook.

 _Ever your friend,_  
Lady Y/N L/N of the noble family L/N.

* * *

 

“SEBASTIAN!”

As if he had never left the room, Sebastian appeared at Ciel’s side.

He bowed before addressing him, “Yes my young lord, what is the matter?”

Ciel’s brow furrowed, he slammed the letter onto the desk, before standing up, “Prepare a guest room, Lady L/N is coming to stay. Quickly.”

Sebastian bowed before once again leaving the room to begin the preparations for her arrival.


	2. Chapter 1

"Good afternoon, Lady L/N, a pleasure to see you again."

She laughed, "No need to be so formal, you can just identify me by my first name. Alright?"

Sebastian bowed and once stood up, greeted Y/N again.

"That's better. Anyway, where is Ciel? He's usually here to greet me. Not that I'm not pleased to spend time with you Sebastian." Y/N then winked.

Sebastian smirked, "Ah, Lady L/N-" Y/N glared at him, "I mean Y/N, we will meet Ciel in his study after I have shown you the room you will be staying in for the mean time unless it is not to your standards."

"I am sure it will be wonderful as always. Well lead the way Sebastian."

The room was a large classic room fitted with a queen sized bed with clean white sheets, a grey blanket over the foot of the bed and oak furniture such as the dressing table, the beside table and the small table. The sparkling crystal chandelier was reflected in the large mirror on the wall next to the bed. A long window lay out to a view of the beautiful garden and...

"The bench. Oh, he kept it after all these years," Y/N said wistfully.

"The bench, Lady- Y/N?" Sebastian questioned.

Y/N gasped turning around, "Oh, I forget you were still there. My apologies. The bench is just something from the past. Nothing special."

"How do you find the room?"

"It is excellent Sebastian, thank you."

"Between you and I, it was the young master who picked this room. He said it was because of the view. I am sure he will be pleased to know you enjoy the room. Shall we go see him now?"

"Yes, please lead me to him."

* * *

  
Ciel sighed, reading the letter once more.

_Even after all these years she's still as wild and reckless and...unladylike as ever._

Knock knock

"Oh Ciel!"

"She managed to get here quickly," Ciel muttered.

Knock knock

"Come in."

Sebastian opened the door allowing Y/N through first allowing him to see her fully for the first time in several years. With a shock of untameable Y/C hair resting about her face haphazardly, it was easy to see the resemblance between the young woman standing before me and the girl Ciel had once played with as a child. Her face was sporting a wide grin that would rival that of the Cheshire Cat's and her eyes twinkled with a mischievous twinkle; ready to cause havoc at any moment. The dress she wore was a light periwinkle blue, that ended just above her ankles. From under the hem of the skirt Ciel could see a pair of heeled black boots; shining and laced up tight.

"Hello, Y/N. It is a pleasure to see you again." Ciel rose from behind his desk to walk around the front to greet the lady properly.

"Hello Ciel, thank you for having me-"

"You did not leave me much of a choice."

"-And the room you picked is fantastic. I can't believe you remembered the bench!" She continued on happily.

_She still remembers that?_

"Well we have some time to catch up, perhaps over a game of chess, before dinner. Sebastian, see to the final preparations and make sure everything is fine in the kitchen."

"Of course, young master. After all, if I couldn't make a dinner worthy of the Phantomhive name, what kind of butler would I be?" With that said, Sebastian bowed to both gentile people in the room and exited.

After he had left the room was silent for a while, neither person knowing what to say to the other.

Until, "So...You remembered the bench?"

"Of course, how could I forget."

Y/N smiled gently, "I always knew you were soft. You are so sweet, Ciel."

Ciel blushed heavily and objected stammering, "N-No I am not."

"You are!" Y/N teased.

"Am not!"

_This is exactly like it was when we were children._

"You are now don't argue with me, I want to play chess with you. No one wants to play with me because I am a woman. Do you know how boring Edward is about it?" She stood with her back straight, a hand pushing her hair out of her face and her nose held high before putting on a nasally voice, "No future wife of mine will play such a game as chess," She spat out the last word with disgust. "I mean, come on, it's a simple game."

"Y/N if your mother wants you to-"

"Mother wants me to do lots of things that I don't actually do. Which reminds me..."

"Yes?" Ciel questioned.

"Mother thinks I am staying with Edward."

Ciel groaned.

_This is going to be a long visit._


	3. Chapter 2

"Y/N, why did you tell your mother that you were staying with Edward yet saw fit to come here and bother me?" Ciel asked bluntly before taking a bite of the Lemon Meringue pie the two nobles were having for dessert.

Y/N choked on her mouthful, not expecting the question. However, Ciel kept on eating being used to Y/N's odd behaviour.

When Y/N had gotten over her coughing fit, Ciel had finished. Disregarding that bit of information she answered, "Well, you remember my cousin, Amelie?"

He nodded using a napkin to wipe his mouth clean.

"Turns out she's been getting wilder since she moved to Paris, being sent there in shame because of her last escapade with the Duke of Essex. Which was quite the scandal because she had become with child so she was going to marry hi-"

Ciel coughed.

"-m..." She trailed off, "Never mind I thought I could distract you. I see you still have not changed from needing a straight answer just like when we were children. This is just like the time when you wanted to know about the differences between women and men. So you asked my parents-"

"Please stop Y/N," Ciel had begun to blush. His blush deepened when he spotted Sebastian snickering, "And Sebastian stop laughing, have you not got something better to do?"

"Yes young master."

"-and so my mother asked your mother to never do it again," Y/N had continued oblivious to what Ciel was saying. "Even though it was all completely my fault, you got the blame because of what you did in the garden."

Ciel stopped blushing almost immediately upon hearing that last little bit, "THAT WAS YOUR FAULT?!"

She nodded looking pleased with herself; a wide smile on her face.

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TROUB-" He sighed, "Forget it, now are you going to answer me?"

She took the last bit of her lemon meringue pie before wiping her mouth clean with a napkin, answering when she was sure her mouth was clear of food, "Well Mother wants Edward and I to marry for the prestige of the name and because she does not want me ending up wild like the rest of the family. So, to get away from her I decided to lie. Edward wants the match more than he fears my mother so he is more likely to defend me from her wrath. But I dislike his company; he's boring. He does not do sports, play chess or adventure! He just wants to talk about the future," she then sighed and looked into her lap where her hands were.

"But what does that have to do with me?" Ciel asked quietly, watching her and feeling guilty that he had made her upset.

She looked up at him, "I do not want to marry a man that I will be unhappy with for the rest of my life. I want adventure, fun, romance. I want to be happy that's why I am here. I want to find a man that will make me feel wanted, happy and can let me be me without binding me to my position in society. Oh, I'm sorry for bothering you Ciel, I am older than you so marriage is a bigger concern for me but you seem genuinely happy with Elizabeth so I should not burden me. If you will excuse me, it is late. I must be off to bed. Goodnight Ciel, "Standing up she pushes her chair in before walking over to Ciel, "Thank you for allowing me to stay with you and I'm sorry for putting you in an uncomfortable situation." Bending down she kisses his cheek and upon standing back u she smiles gently and walks off; out of the dining room and presumably up the stairs to her bedroom.

_She is still as sweet and beautiful as I remember... even if she is a complete scatterbrain._

"Young master? Are you alright? Your face is bright red." Sebastian asked suddenly.

Ciel jumped slightly not expecting the sudden appearance of his butler.

"Young master?" Sebastian asked again.

"I am fine Sebastian," Ciel said calmly, "Sebastian?" He began.

"Yes, young master?"

"I order you, help me find a man worthy of Y/N; one who will give her all the adventure she seeks but is loyal, intelligent and entertaining for her. Regardless of status or value."

Sebastian smirked, "Regardless of status? So even a servant could marry her?"

"I suppose so, why?"

Sebastian's smirk only deepened, "Well she is quite beautiful."

Ciel sighed, "I order you to help her find the right man even if it is you."

"As you wish, young master." Sebastian bowed deeply in front of his young master, signifying his understanding of his master's wishes. He then stood up and turned to leave towards the kitchens in order to have the table cleared.

Ciel was left alone to ponder the situation.

Since he was a child he had found the older female beautiful, interesting and she became his most trusted companion even after... the fire. He would never admit it but when he had learnt of the news that he was engaged to Elizabeth it broke his heart.

He sighed.

_I hope it is not you. I hope it's me._


	4. Chapter Three

"Good morning Y/N," Ciel greeted Y/N as she sat down on the opposite side of the table to him.

"Good morning Ciel, do you have any plans for today?" She said and waited for Sebastian to lay a plate for her with the breakfast of the morning; French toast with a ham and cheese omelette.

Ciel looked at Sebastian whilst taking a sip of his tea, closing his eyes. The butler straightened up before answering the young woman, "Today the Earl Phantomhive has only a small matter of business in town. Other than that the Earl has a clear schedule."

"Is it another case?"

Ciel choked on his tea and opened his eyes before stuttering in indignation, "N-No there is not. Anyway even if there was you would not be allowed to come."

"Why? Is it because I do your job better than you do?"

Ciel once again began protesting whilst Sebastian chuckled quietly behind his hand.

"Because if that is the case then don’t worry, we already knew that."

"Y/N you cannot come along, I won't allow it!"

Y/N began glaring at Ciel and he could swear she had a demonic aura around her as she spoke, "You won't allow it?"

He shook his head, not trusting his voice.

She sighed, her aura disappearing before she burst into laughter.

Ciel cautiously placed down his cup of tea, remembering times like this when the two of them quarrelled as children.

Her laughter ended, "That is fine. I don't mind. In fact, I'll occupy my day by writing two letters. One to Edward...and one to the Marchioness Midford."

Ciel gulped, feeling his mouth dry.

"When Edward learns of where I am he will rush over here in protest, we both know he hates you and you are the only noble chaperoning me, well, I don't think he will take to that. Also I may not even need to write to him if I choose to write to the Marchioness. She also disapproves of you and yet she adores me. I wonder how she will react to you being the only male taking care of me when she wants the match between her son and I; not you and I. So I guess if you won't let me accompany you I should get to write those letters..." She trailed off and smirked.

Ciel sighed and felt his eyebrow twitch.

_Damn it. She always does this._

"Fine. You may come along on one condition."

Y/N stopped smirking and let a gentle smile grace her face.

"If I say you have to step out or do something, you must do it." _For your sake and mine._

She nodded and began to eat her meal.

_Let's hope she actually listens for once._

"Y/N remember what I said-"

"At breakfast, when we were getting in the carriage and just before we arrived," Mockingly she then said, "If I say you have to step out or do something, you must do it. For the sake of the Phantomhive reputation if anything were to happen-"

"We would both be in peril. Good you listened for once."

"Ciel you cannot lead in a dance how can you possibly hope to lead me anywhere but astray?"

He grumbled his face growing red. He then turned and walked into the funeral parlour. Sebastian went to follow him but turned around to face the female noble.

“My lady, if you come to any harm or find yourself in any trouble all you need to do is call my name,” He then knelt on one knee and took one of her hands in his before laying a kiss upon it. Sebastian then stood up smirking and walked into the funeral parlour; following his master.

Y/N stood there contemplating how awkward that situation for a moment was before turning around clutching the money bag to her chest and started on a leisurely stroll down the pavilion of shops.

_Maybe she would meet a man more adventurous than just a butler._


	5. Chapter 4

_I hate shopping. It's so tedious. Why couldn't I have gone with Ciel? This is so unfair. Well, at least Lizzie isn't here, she can be really overbearing sometimes with her style. But I just want someone to talk this is so boring. Maybe I should make more female friends or make Ciel dress up again...Or I could bring Sebastian with me next time...No. I would rather bring that handsome chef or the innocent gardener. Maybe we could do more than shopping. Oh, how scandalous!_

Y/N had been walking down the street for quite a while, the clothes shops not appealing to me at all. A bakery would be interesting. Not as interesting as the case...

_Never mind._

Although now that Y/N was not thinking about gorgeous men and the torrid affairs and adventures she could be having with them, Y/N realised one thing.

_I'm being followed._

Looking at the person following her in a nearby shop window she saw exactly what kind of man it is following her. He's stumbling (most likely from drinking) and dressed in poor clothing. A poor Indian man who has probably lost his way.

_I'll have to go easy on him._

His footsteps quickened as Y/N stepped into an alleyway to the right of her; with the knowledge that it's a dead end.

When I reach the wall Y/N stops a breath away from the wall before moving to face the man who sways whilst revealing a sharp glass shard.

Y/N sighs, "Sir please put the blade down."

_This was the wrong day to wear the extra petticoat._

"N-No way, I can't. Now give me all yo' mon-money," he says slurring.

"Sir, I'm afraid that I can not do that. Please desist and turn back."

He grunts before raising the blade to eye level and stepping forwards.

Y/N closes her eyes waiting for the blow to come so she can act accordingly. But the blow never came.

When Y/N opened her eyes the blade was so close she could smell the rust upon it. The man's wrist was held by another Indian man wearing a turban and a bandaged right hand which was holding the man's wrist; crushing it slightly.

"Good work Agni," Another accented voice chimed in, "Now move the man away from the young woman."

The man presumably named Agni nodded and dragged the man out of the alley by his wrist.

After Agni had been gone for some time the other man had moved towards the young woman, "Are you alright miss?"

Y/N nodded, "Thank you for the assistance sir."

He blushes before stammering, "I-It was nothing m-miss. I am d-doing w-what every g-good person should d-do."

"Thank you and I must thank your friend also."

The man smiles, "Ah, that is my servant Agni."

"Your servant?"

"Yes, it is only suitable for a prince?"

_He's a prince. Huh. I guess his clothes indicate wealth but surely a prince would have a larger group of people for an escort._

"I am so sorry," Y/N dips into a graceful curtsy, "Where are my manners? I am Lady Y/N L/N, I am in your debt your highness."

"Your name...It's very beautiful."

"Thank you, your highness," She stand up out of her curtsy.

He chuckles lightly, "Come now, my name is Soma and you must call me Soma because we are friends now, no?"

"Of course, your- Soma."

He grasps her hand, "Now I must escort you to wherever it is you need to go. Agni!" He turns to look at the end of the alley waiting for his friend to appear whilst

The manservant arrives and it's then Y/N realises how handsome both the exotic men are.

"Let's go take this woman to-" He turns back to the woman to have her fill the destination in.

"The funeral parlour." She replies calmly.

"THE FUNERAL PAR- Wait what?"

"The funeral parlour," she repeats, "I have to go wait for my friend."

"Has someone died?"

"No, he is simply conducting business with the man who owns the business."

He tilts his head and Y/N compares him to a puppy mentally before asking, "Who is this friend you are to meet?"

"The Earl Phantomhive."

"CIEL?"

"...Yes," She answers hesitantly, "Why?

"BECAUSE HE IS MY BEST FRIEND AND I HAVE COME TO VISIT HIM! Now come! We must go see him!" He turns around and begins to walk dragging me behind him, Agni standing at the alley entrance to follow behind his master.

Y/N jerks her hand out of his grip, "Actually I am Ciel's best friend."

"No, I am Ciel's best friend."

"No I am!"

"I AM!"

"YOU MUST CERTAINLY ARE NOT!"

The two continue to argue like children as they travel to the funeral parlor with Agni following closely behind.

If Y/N had been paying more attention she would of realised she was being watched...


	6. Chapter 5

A tense silence had broken out between the three men standing inside the funeral parlour before the young earl inquired something for his own clarification.

The Undertaker replied, "The bodies are not missing anything in fact they have gained something. A small-"

**Bang.**

"CIEL WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?"

"SOMA YOU CAN NOT JUST BARGE IN!"

"WHY NOT?! THIS IS IMPORTANT!"

Ciel groaned whilst rubbing his temples and Sebastian raised a hand to cover his grin at the discomfort of his young master.

"CIEL!" Both of the teenagers cried.

"Both of you, WAIT OUTSIDE!" the Earl shouted and pointed to the door; waiting for the two to leave.

When they had left Ciel apologised to Undertaker for the interruptions and bid him to continue.

The Undertaker giggled before doing as asked.

"Any obvious significance?"

"None that I can think of off of the top of my head," the Undertaker admitted.

The Earl sighed once more before tipping his hat, "Thank you for your co-operation," he then turned and began to leave.

"Any time young lord," Undertaker called after the Earl who was followed by his butler.

Outside of the parlour the two people who had interrupted the discussion of the investigation were still squabbling over who was Ciel's best friend. Agni patiently waited for his master, bowing to the Earl in greeting.

The Earl just walked past; uncaring if the others followed him or not. However the butler occasionally gazed at the young lady who was engaged in an argument.

_My, this is proving to be more interesting and it shows off the young lady's fiery temper._

* * *

"I am sorry Soma but unfortunately Y/N is my best friend."

"BUT, WHY?" whined the prince before rushing off without hearing an answer.

The young lady smiled softly before sitting on the edge of Ciel's desk, "So, now that he's gone...What is the case?"

"You haven't changed your mind about your involvement?" asked the Earl without lifting his eyes away from the letter he was reading.

Y/N glared at him, "What do you think?"

"...Obviously not. Anyway from what I have gathered, the case is to find out who is killing the people and why they are doing it. The bodies have each been found near brothels but are not people who have ever used a brothel or are prostitutes. Each body is found with no missing organs but a card is inserted into a limb of choice. I have not been able to figure out the significance of each card or the place they have been placed into," He stated.

The lady hummed before posing the question of, "Have you looked at the meaning of the cards?"

"Yes of course."

"But have you looked at them together?"

At this Ciel raised his head and placed the letter down onto the desk, "Not yet, why?"

"Are they tarot cards or traditional playing cards?"

Ciel thought back to the cards the Undertaker had shown him, "A mix of both types."

"Ah, okay then someone needs to start researching it so they can stay away from the best friend thief. I know! I'll go!"

Ciel rolled his eyes, "Alright fine. Go ahead but by the way I have just received an invitation for the both of us to go to a ball-"

"But you can't dance. At all."

Ciel glared at her, "-It is tomorrow evening and as such you are expected to come along. There are no exceptions."

She pouted.

"The ball is a masquerade. Sebastian will lay out an outfit for you tomorrow evening an hour before we must go."

"Of course but Ciel?"

"Yes Y/N? What is it?"

"Where is the ball taking place?"

"Never mind, a minor lord. Anyway when you step out of this room Sebastian will guide you to the library if you truly wish to research."

She nodded and then hopped off of his desk before walking to the door. Turning around she grins, "Thank you Ciel. I'm glad you trust me with this," Y/N then ducked out of the room.

Ciel picked the letter back up reading it once more.

_How could I tell her that she would be in the home of the Earl Trancy; a madman?_


	7. Chapter 6

"Divination? That is far too easy but it makes sense," Ciel flicked through the many pages that Y/N had wrote her notes upon.

"All the cards have different meanings that are quite abstract so we have to find someone who has enough money to buy these cards but has an abstract view, maybe one of those communists, you know the belief that everything should be shared equally regardless of effort?"

"Well we will have to look at it later in more detail, unfortunately we have to go to the Trancy's masquerade."

Y/N smirked at him, recalling his lack of dancing experience, "I presume you couldn't have cancelled because of the Queen."

Ciel nodded as he quickly scanned over the last page of notes then putting it back neatly into a pile with the others.

"Is there a theme?" inquired Y/N as she watched her friend rub his temples.

He shook his head in response, "The only requirement for dress is formal wear and a mask that matches the outfit."

"I assume that you have already arranged an outfit for me?"

"Of course. It will be on your bed and I suggest you go get ready. Also by the way, Edward and Elizabeth will be there as well."

_Oh good Lord._

"Have fun Ciel!" Y/N then went to run out of the room but Ciel had got up in anticipation of her attempt to escape. He followed after her and cut her off at the door, standing in front of it.

"You have gotten faster. Too bad you don't can't be good at something like dancing."

He frowned, "You have to go. Remember your family?"

"No, I have a family?" she retorted, her tone heavily laced before returning to her usual tone, "Why? What about them?"

"You and I both know that they are all gossips," He smirked and gazed intently at Y/N, "So imagine if Edward turns up without the woman most people want to marry him. I wonder how your mother would respond because if she asked me it would be extremely hard to lie as your best friend it would be known that I would be most likely to be housing you. And what would your mother do? That's right, she'd come here, drag you home screaming."

She sighed before nodding, "Fine, I will go. When must I be ready?"

"In an hour. Now go, I have to get ready as well."

As she left, Sebastian walked past her and into the study.  
Inside the carriage the two friends sat across from each other discussing the case although Ciel could not meet Y/N's eyes because he could only focus on how beautiful she looked in the gown. Her hair was beautifully done, with jewels through her hair. Her gown was immaculate with an asymmetrical slit that showed the petticoats on one side of her dress. Currently she had her mask off as it was laid in her lap where she was fiddling with the edge of it, playing with the feathers.

"I have talked to Sebastian and whilst we are at the party he is going to look at the background's of the guests. We both need to chat casually amongst the people, inquire if any gentlemen are interested in cards. Perhaps a game of cards...I remember you have never been beaten at cards, correct?"

"If you are trying to insinuate that I am the murderer-"

"I'm not, I trust you Y/N, you know that."

"-well if you were the cards, I have ever used all have insignias on the back from the Funtom Company, my family's own company or the gambling hall's own brand. You told me that they were just plain cards and tarot cards."

"So the cards can't belong to a gambling hall?"

She shook her head before putting her palm on her hand and looking out the window, "My guess is that it's someone linked to the Underground. If you get me a card I should be able to pinpoint where it's from. Ciel, I would talk to your informants in the Underground because if I head back down that road...well, news travels fast."

Ciel finally looked at her in shock but his look softened as he watched for longer.

The carriage stopped suddenly.

_We've arrived._


	8. Chapter 8

As the trio reached the front doors of the manor, Sebastian slipped a black crow-feathered golden mask onto his face whilst Ciel and Y/N slipped on their masks. Ciel looked at his butler quickly before looking at the doors, quickly checking his butler again with a look of disappointment and disbelief.

_Of course he would._

Ciel himself was dressed in a golden half mask that did not cover his contract but would simply make it seem as if part of the design. His outfit consisted of poofy black and gold shoulders, a blue rose at his Adam's apple and red gloves to contrast his white shirt.

Ciel sighed before grabbing onto his friend's wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to him before he said, "Y/N, before we go in there is something I must inform you of. Sebastian will be your...date for this evening. It would seem odd for a woman to go off alone and unless you wish to be attached to Edward's hip all evening, which I know for a fact you do not, you will need an escort. As long as you don't give anyone your name or you change the subject people will just assume what they wish to about your relationship with him. This means you will be with him all evening however so you will be helping him in his investigations. Consider this an apology for making you leave the funeral parlour."

She smiled, "All is forgiven now let's go!"

Ciel let go of Y/N's wrist and watched as she sped ahead of the two to the inside of the manor where she would be greeted by someone.

Sebastian looked at his master before asking him, "Are you sure about this young master?"

Ciel huffed and walked ahead, not bothering to look at his butler.

_Of course he was sure... Wasn't he?_

* * *

Ciel had left Sebastian and Y/N together once they had entered the room and all was going well. The music was light, the people were ignorant of their surroundings except for the plentiful supply of food and drink and the party was simply a room filled with people conversing and simply swaying on the dance floor to a slow repetitive beat.

Meanwhile the butler and lady danced along with the others whilst casually discussing the multiple murders as if they were discussing plans for tea.

"I reckon it's someone in the Opium business, probably a gambler as well."

"Yes but also male."

"Oh, how so?"

"Simple. The cards have always had a certain musk to them."

"Ah but of course. It would be much easier for a man to escape especially considering the nature of their victims."

"Ciel hadn't informed of the nature of the victims..."

"All of the victims were linked to the underground through friends. For example the last victim was the brother of a brothel owner."

"Of course, makes sense. So someone-"

"Wishes to make people pay for something."

Y/N nodded, "Makes sense now-"

"Excuse me, mind if I have this dance with your lady?"

Sebastian visibly stilled before nodding, "Yes of course," He then let go of the young lady, giving her a meaningful look before drifting off the dance floor but staying close enough to watch her.

The young lady was spun in the arms of her partner as the dance continued on. She surveyed him, noticing her partner was the same age as Ciel.

"Hello I'm the Earl Trancy, tthe host of this party but you can just call me Alois."


	9. Chapter 8

Dancing with Alois was a fate worse than death; it never ended. He refused to stop talking, he had drifting hands and when someone had tried to have a dance with her, he rudely refused them without her consent.

_Sebastian, come save me._

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, he was next to her, "Earl Trancy, may I have this dance?" Without waiting for an answer he had whisked her off, twirling the lady to the beat of the music until we stopped next to the open doors leading the gardens.

"Thank you, Sebastian."

He nodded, bowing his head, "But of course. Now I believe we should begin our investigation, shall we?" he outstretched a hand to me which I took and we began to walk outside.

Quietly she asked, "But what about Ciel?"

The butler chuckled, "He's... pre-occupied at the moment."

* * *

At that moment, Ciel was currently in the middle of a tug-of-war between two men: Edward Midford and Prince Soma.

"CIEL! WHY AM I NOT YOUR BEST FRIEND?"

"PHANTOMHIVE WHY ARE YOU CHEATING ON MY SISTER?"

"I'M NOT CHEATING ON YOUR SISTER!"

"CIEL WHY HAVE YOU BETRAYED ME?"

"THEN WHO IS THE WOMAN YOU ARRIVED WITH?"

_This is the worst party ever. Can this get any worse?_

"Oh, Ciel~"

_I've changed my mind, I would rather just have the two idiots, not three._

The two men stopped tugging as they watched the host smirking, "Your guest is absolutely wonderful but I didn't get her name."

"What a shame for you. However I believe it to be extremely rude to give out a women's details without her permission."

Alois' smirk dropped completely.

Ciel saw his chance and wriggled out of the tight hold of the two men either side of him and left to go get some cake.

* * *

The duo who had left the party were now scaling the building. More accurately, the lady was scaling the building whilst Sebastian waited by the window, holding her heavy dress and shoes, of the room she was climbing to. In her underwear.

When she reached the room, she was pulled in gently by her hips, sprawling out on the floor.

_Lord this is so embarrassing._

His crimson eyes were gleaming in the darkness as she looked up at him gazing up and down her body.

"Do you need some help?" The mirth in his voice was evident.

She shook her head, pulling herself up by using the widow sill.

"Are we ready to go?"

Y/N nodded and took his hand as he puts the dress back on her, slipping it over her head, being careful of the mask. He then knelt in front of her, slipping the shoes on her feet.

_It's almost as if he's my prince from a story, perhaps the one from Cinderella?_

Once ready we begin. He searches the side nearest the door whilst I search the beside table and the chest near the window.

"I have found nothing Sebastian it's no goo-" I am cut off by Sebastian grabbing me and pushing me into the closet.

"Don't come out until I have left and there is no sign of anyone. I'm afraid you may have to abseil out the window. If you can, get to the master bedroom which is two doors from here. Good luck."

Sebastian then left the room and she could hear him talking to another person faintly through the wall.

_So it's my turn to pull out all the stops, huh?_


	10. Chapter 9

The party going on downstairs was loud enough to block out the sound that could have come from the lady's shoes if she hadn't thrown them out of the window for ease of access.

_That's a point, I'll have to get Sebastian get them before they are discovered._

_Which door was it again?_

She observed the doors. Upon inspecting the middle door a few from the last she recalled that this must be the room Sebastian wanted her to search.

Opening the door must have been heard by someone because no sooner than she had opened the door an inch, footsteps echoed down the hall, coming her way. Slowly, she opened the door enough to slide in and slip inside, closing the door behind her.

The room is large, as expected for the main room for a noble, with a large king's sized bed with white and purple furniture and coverings. It's actually incredibly simple compared to some noble's rooms including her own at home and the guest room at the manor. If she didn't know how well Sebastian cleaned Ciel's room she would have thought that no one occupied this room.

She stood still, hearing the footsteps stop outside the door and then walk past after a second's pause. Holding her breath, she waited for the steps to round the corner to put some distance between her and the unknown person. When the sound disappears she sighed and then steeled herself.

_I've got work to do._

Sebastian wanted me to find a pack of cards or a receipt or any form of documentation that would prove Trancy was or was not linked to the murders. He had gotten information from a trusted source that all files were kept outside of the study because the study was a front for the business, just as the business was.

_The informer probably was Sebastian himself because who else did he trust that much?_

As she went to look under the bed, she heard footsteps again.

_But why are they so close? Almost as if they're in the room with me..._

"Claude, I want her."

A sharp pain exploded within the back of her head and Y/N fall onto the floor. As the black spots within her vision increase, she saw a butler standing next to a small blonde, roughly the same age as Ciel.

_Oh, Ciel. I've failed you._


	11. Chapter 10

“Claude when will she be awake? I want to know so I can cancel the party!”

“I do not know your highness.”

The stamp of a foot is followed by the shout, “WELL HURRY UP OR I’LL PUNISH YOU! WAKE HER UP!”

Almost silent footsteps alert me to the fact that someone is getting closer. She had two choices: wake up or pretend to be asleep and suffer because of it. Groggily she sat up and saw the same two people from before.

Before she could speak, the boy is running up to me, pushing his butler out of the way and kneeling over me, so close his breath his warm against my face, “Well hello! I’m Alois Trancy, the Earl of this estate. So why is someone so pretty sneaking around when they should be dancing with me? You shouldn’t have left my side. Naughty, naughty.”

_Why is he toying with me like this?_

“Sir-“

“Your highness.”

“Sir, please-“

A hand reaches for her throat and she could feel her lungs tightening as it clenches tightly, “IT’S YOUR HIGHNESS!”

“Yo-Your hi-high-highne-ness,” she choked out, her breath almost leaving her.

Alois smirks, obviously pleased with her answer and lets go. She inhaled greedily as he laughs at her, collapsed on the bed. “Look at you, pathetic. You’re lucky you’re so beautiful or you would be useless to me.”

As she clutched at my throat, she surveyed the room she was in. It's still the same one she entered but all the doors and drawers have been opened except the one leading out into the hall. Which means... the window is probably unlocked.

No sooner than she had thought that the butler had moved, bolting the windows shut.

_Fantastic, can this get any worse?_

"I've decided your fate."

She looked at the strange boy wondering how someone so young and someone so carefree unlike Ciel can have so much power.

"You are now going to be my constant companion, by my side forever. Won't that be fun?" he smiles and tilts his head looking as innocent as he should be.

_Lord why have you done this?_

* * *

Meanwhile Ciel was waiting for Y/N down in the dance hall, Sebastian returned to his side once again with her shoes from their 'adventure'. Of course, Ciel had been drawn into a dance with Elizabeth but her brother had luckily broken them apart insisting upon looking for his 'betrothed'.

At the thought Ciel snorted and Sebastian quirked an eyebrow, "Something humorous, perhaps, young master?"

He simply smirked in reply, "Perhaps."

Surveying the room he realised the host and his butler were missing.

_How very curious..._

Still, he was sure Y/N would complete her task and would meet them back at the manor.

Of course she would, after all the Criminal Underworld was her old territory...


	12. Chapter 11

_She's been gone for days, where is she? Maybe she's out there being tortured by Alois or worse... defiled... No, of course not. He wouldn't dare. So where is she?_

_I hope she's okay..._

_Oh, Y/N, I miss you..._

* * *

Light floods the room as the curtains are pulled open. A giggle echoes in the room and someone jumps onto the bed shouting, "Wake up! We are going to have some much fun today!" they continue on but the lady in the bed groaned and tuck herself deeper into the covers.

_This is worse than being tortured..._

Alois giggled again, "Come on! Get dressed, I want a picnic!"

_I hate my life..._

"Your highness, perhaps I should help the young mistress get dressed so it happens quicker."

"Oh, Claude, trying to get a peak at Y/N?"

"No. I am simply trying to help you. If you wish we can wait another hour like yesterday for Lady Y/N to wash and then another to dress-"

Even underneath the covers, she could practically see the pout on Alois' face as he concedes, "Fine. Go on then Claude, I would watch but I want to make sure everything is perfect," his footsteps are the only sound for a few seconds before the door slams shut and I can hear him ranting in the corridor as he goes.

The sheets are pulled off of her head and she was left to glare at Claude who is leaning over her with a nonchalant look on his face. He sighs, "Lady Y/N please get up before I force you to get up. His highness will punish us both possibly if you do not comply."

Y/N rolled out of the bed and bowed her head, allowing Claude to drag her down the hall to the bathroom where a bath has been drawn, filled to the brim almost with hot water and bath oils. It smells clean and of lavender.

"I'll leave you in the bath to get settled for five minutes. I will be back to wash your hair," he walks out of the room and closes the door gently behind him.

With a tug, she pulled off the nightgown and got into the bath, sinking in completely with her eyes closed before sitting back up and opening her eyes to blink out the water before closing them once more.

_So far I have been told nothing. I have been watched at all times, even when I am meant to be asleep. They're hiding something but I don't think it's the murder. The boy's too eccentric and childish to think of something so complex as the cards. No, the murder, if it was committed in this household, would be by one of the staff. Claude is completely trusted, agile and cunning however he is by his master's side at all times so it cannot be him. The triplets have some kind of communication between the three and are extremely agile but they are always doing something; for the master or Hannah Annafellows. Hannah is agile, has great connections with the triplets and is clever however she is too noticeable with her physique and her eye. So no one in the Trancy house can be the killer._

"Lady Y/N I am here to wash your hair now."

Y/N opened her eyes slowly, only realising I have been extremely engrossed in my thoughts. He is standing behind her so she can't react as quickly anymore when he begins to wash her hair. It's quite nice; relaxing massage motions, other than the shocking splash of water as he pours more water over her head. However, it's over soon enough.

He holds a towel out to me so I step up and out of the bath and into the towel which Claude wraps around me quickly before settling me on a bench which he sits upon, my head in his lap. He grabs a brush and begins to brush my teeth, small gentle circles against my gums, his eyes staring into mine.

I wonder what he's thinking as he stares down at me with a gaze that pierces my soul.

* * *

_Such smooth skin and such beautiful hair. Radiant eyes that shine beautifully in the sunlight. Yes, this is truly a worthy soul. She would be delicious if I didn't crave her body so much._

_Her body, mind and soul are beautiful and delicious. Her scent is intoxicating, it makes me ravenous in my hunger._

_Y/N L/N..._

_You will be mine..._

* * *

_This dress is an awful monstrosity and should be burned. It's something Lizzie would wear and even she would complain... but only because it's not pink. It's shorter than acceptable, ending at the knees. Not as constricting as a ballgown but more constricting than trousers and no corset._

"Y/N, do you like the dress? I had it made just for you!" Alois chirped before stuffing his face with another tea cake.

 _This picnic is awful._  

They were sat in the gardens, surrounded by the flower bushes and the Trancy manor staff. Claude was serving the tea and the food whilst Hannah was picking flowers at Alois' request to turn them into a flower crown for each of the young nobles.

"Yes... It's lovely, thank you," she lied nonchalantly, not meeting his eyes as she move her legs from out from under her before smoothing the dress out once Y/N had settled.

He beams and his eyes crinkle as he closes them and tilts his head to the side.

"But Alois... There is a favour I need to ask you..."

Alois opens his eyes and Claude paused briefly in his movements before chancing a glance at the war of emotions on Alois' face. He looks away as Alois settles on a neutral expression, his eyes narrow and wary before he says, "Go on."

"Well, the thing is Earl Trancy-"

"Alois. We are such good friends, aren't we?"

There's a sinister tone to his words so she agreed, "Of course. My purpose of being here-"

"-Other than being my constant companion."

 _He's making this more difficult than it has to be._ "Other than being your constant companion-"

"-For the rest of our lives."

_I wish he was the murderer so I simply can see him behind bars._

"Is to learn more about the upper class of society. As you may know, it is the season soon and my family is known for formal event planning-"

"-Amongst other things."

 _If this boy does not stop interrupting me I swear-_ "So an Earl, that will remain unnamed for confidentiality purposes-"

"-It's Ciel Phantomhive, isn't it?"

_Lord give me strength._

"The Earl has instructed me to gather information about the interests of others so his party may cater to other's needs. So Earl Trancy-"

"-Alois," he grits out and she could feel his anger brewing.

"...Alois, I wish to ask you a favour. I know you have a lot of contacts and it would save me a lot of time if you could find out people's interests."

He hummed as he thought it over, eating another tea cake as he did so before swallowing and asking, "What do I get in return?"

_What?_

My eyes widen as she answered, "Well I can pay you-"

"Do I look like I need money?" His voice has anger behind it and she felt a shiver running down her spine as his gaze sharpens and Claude moves to stand behind his master; his eyes as sharp as his master's.

"Of course not but what could I possibly give you-"

"-Your body. Be mine forever. Marry me."

"... Alois, I can't marry you."

His hands grip onto his hair and he screams, "WHY NOT?"

"Because... I'm betrothed already..."

"TO WHO?"

_Oh God, do I have to do this?_

"...Edward Midford..."


	13. Chapter 12

**Ring! Ring!**

"Hello, this is the number of the Midford family, who am I speaking to?"

"Hello, my name is Y/N L/N and I-"

"Y/N!"

The young woman sighed as she readjusted her grip on the phone, her ears starting to hurt from Alexis' shouting. As she looked away, she spotted Claude looming right behind her; obviously listening in.

"Hello Marque-"

"-Call me Dad! Or Alexis! We'll be family one day, you know!"

"...That's why I have called you, Alex-"

"DARLING SHE'S ACCEPTED! PREPARE THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY!"

Y/N sighed once more. _This is so difficult._

Footsteps echo across the line as someone approaches the phone and begins to speak to him in a low tone. He squeals in reply and then shouts "NO!"

"Give me the phone, Alexis!"

"NO!"

A couple of grunts echoed over the line until the Marchioness addressed me, "Who is this?"

"Hello, Marchioness. It is Y/N L/N calling-"

"OH EDDIE IS GOING TO BE SO PLEASED!"

"Husband if you do not stop bothering me I swear..." she coughed, to clear her throat, "Anyway, Y/N, if you wish to talk about the engagement I will send a carriage around to your house right now. Edward is currently in practise. As should you be, dear." Her last words held a certain level of danger to them as she aimed them at her husband.

"Actually, your ladyship-"

"You may call me Francis. After all, we will be family soon."

"-I am currently in the residence of the Earl Trancy. If you would be so kind as to send a carriage I would be most grateful."

A pause and then, "It will be there within the hour." She then hung up.

Claude waits a moment before asking, "Should we prepare to pack, my lady?"

_Oh Lord, what have I got myself into?_

* * *

The couple stood together staring at the phone hung up; one with a large grin, the other with a slight smirk. They didn't know what to say and were silent for a long time until the Marchioness asked, "So... This is really happening? Y/N will marry our son?"

"Yes."

A moments silence before the Marquess launched himself at his wife, embracing her tightly.

"GET OFF OF ME ALEXIS!"


	14. Chapter 13

"You'll come back, won't you?" Alois was on the edge of tears as he saw the carriage pull up in front of the manor from where we were stood in front of the stairs.

_How can I reply? I need to talk to Ciel and inform him of my whereabouts and..._

"Please," he falls to his knees and clutches at Y/N's skirts burying his face in them, "Please don't leave me."

"Alois-"

"NO! DON'T SAY IT!" he begins to sob and buries his face deeper as he whispers, "Please don't. I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't care what you do. If you go to your house or the Midford's; I don't care. Just please come back. Please."

_What do I do?_

Claude walks up to us and bows, "My lady, your carriage has-"

"SHUT UP CLAUDE, SHUT UP! SHE CAN'T GO, SHE CAN'T!"

"Your highness-"

"NO!"

She puts her hand on his head and runs her fingers through his hair, "Alois, look at me."

"No," he shook his head and nuzzled her skirt.

"Alois, please."

He finally looks up at me with red-rimmed eyes and a pout as he tries to breathe between his sobs.

"I'll come back-"

"-today?"

"...Yes. I have some things to do other than-"

He beamed, "-I don't care! You're coming back!" He leaps up and hugs me, his face nearly in her chest. "Now hurry up and leave so you come back sooner, okay?"

"Alright."

"Now come on!" He grabs Y/N's hand and runs to the carriage, dragging her to it whilst laughing joyfully and then pushing her into it so she fell ungracefully. Slamming the door he waved as he stepped back, "Driver, go!"

As the carriage began to leave the front of the manor he shouted, "BYE, SEE YOU LATER!"

_Of course, because I have to come back..._

* * *

"Claude."

"Yes, your highness?"

Alois's smile dropped as he watched the quickly retreating figure of the carriage holding his beloved Y/N, "Make sure she comes back. Follow her, kidnap her, do whatever you must. Y/N L/N will be mine, no matter what."

"What about her betrothal to-"

"Do I need to explain everything? The engagement is probably not real and if it is; kill the Midfords."

"The entire family? But-"

"If they are going to get in my way you _will_ annihilate them. Is that understood?"

"Yes, your highness."

* * *

The Marchioness herself greeted Y/N at the door and brought her in, discussing the benefits of fencing over using artillery weapons. As they talked the doors directly at the top of the stairs opened revealing the figures of the rest of the Midford family.

"Edward," she called up, "Lady L/N is here, come greet her."

Before he could even take a step down the stairs the Marquis barrelled down the stairs and tackled her. Nuzzling his face into my neck he cried, "OH, YOU'RE HERE! EDWARD HAS BEEN SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

"FATHER PLEASE STOP!"

Alexis lets go of her reluctantly and huffs as he moves to stand beside his wife who is glaring at him with disdain.

The two Midford children hurry down the stairs and before anyone can say anything more Elizabeth leaps onto to the other young woman in a similar fashion to her father, "Y/N, OH YOU'RE HERE! COME, I CAN SHOW YOU THE NEW DRESSES I-"

"ELIZABETH ETHEL CORDELIA MIDFORD THAT IS NO WAY FOR A LADY TO BEHAVE!" barks her mother. She lets go and walks off to stand beside her mother in a similarly dejected pose to her father.

The Marchioness claps her hands and says, "I believe it is time for lunch. Such nice weather deserves a meal outside, do you not agree?" Without waiting for anyone she turns and says, "Good because I have already arranged the meal. Now follow me."

As the family and their guest walked through the house to the garden, the young lady observed her surroundings. The family have fallen into a procession: Lady Midford barely ahead of her husband so to an outsider it would look as if he was leading, Elizabeth just behind them and Edward at my side. He stops suddenly and offers their guest his arm which she quickly took and they continued on.

Outside the sun is shining brightly and the white dining set is covered with small displays of food, tea cakes and teas. The teapot is in the hands of who Y/N recognised to be Paula; Elizabeth's personal maid.

The Marchioness sits down first before the rest of them sat in a similar order to the procession so Elizabeth is sat on Y/N's left whilst Edward is on Y/N's right.

"So... before we begin about the engagement I must ask why you are not staying at home."

_Joy._

"Well, mother at the moment is a tad bit upset over-"

"Ah, yes, _that_ dreadful business. Well, if you wish you may stay here."

"It is quite alright your grace, I have made other arrangements."

The Marquis quirks an eyebrow, sharing a quick look with his wife before taking a sip of tea. Sighing she says, "We shall talk about this later but right now I wish to talk about your betrothal to our son."

_There it is..._

"I believe it would be extremely beneficial to be engaged especially to our son."

"Mother please-"

"Edward, we have to talk about this sometime, why not now? Especially considering her... situation."

Hardly restraining the urge to roll her eyes, she slipped her hands from the table to rest in her lap. As she continues to talk about prestige, honour and the shame of my family Y/N felt a hand slip into hers and the hand began to stroke circles with their thumb.

_Edward..._

"Mother, I believe you are making our guest uncomfortable."

"I am simply saying-"

"Darling perhaps it's best if we leave it."

"Well, I am simply saying it is a great honour to be a Midford especially considering her background."

_I can not take this anymore._

Standing abruptly from the table, Y/N curtsied, "Apologies your graces but I must leave. I have important business. Good day, I will see myself out."

"Lady Y/N-"

Without hearing anything more she briskly walked off and left the garden and in turn the manor.

* * *

The Midford family were sat in silence until Edward spoke, "Now you've done it, Mother."

"Edward-"

"No, I am sick and tired of this. She's a wonderful young lady who I love and I wish to marry her. Therefore it's not in my best interests if you talk about her past with such disdain. What she has done does not change my opinion of her. I have loved her since we were children and I am not having that ruined by some horrible comments by her possible future in-laws. If I have to run away and elope with her I will. And if she marries someone else because of your comments."

"Yes?" his mother asked.

"I will never forgive you." He then stood up and left the three members left at the table to watch him run off after the girl he loves.

* * *

After she had requested the carriage to be brought around and told them the intended destination, she had sat upon the steps to wait in front of the manor to get in and leave as quickly as she could.

"Y/N WAIT PLEASE!" The door banged open and Edward tumbled through the doorway to stand behind her.

"Edward, what in the world?" Shocked she gazed up at him over her shoulder.

"Y/N, please don't leave until I say something."

"Well, I can't leave now, I have to wait for the carriage."

He sweatdropped before sighing and gesturing to the space next to her and sat down once she had nodded.

"Well?"

He takes a deep breath before taking her hands in his and then starts to speak, "Y/N I am dreadfully sorry about my moth-"

"I don't care anymore Edward," at his quizzical look she continued, "I am fine with my past. What my family has done does not affect me nor do my own actions affect me. I am me and I can not change that no matter what. Which is why it would not be a good choice to marry you. My greatest fear is to be the burden and the greatest shame of the family I would marry into. I can not marry you until your mother truly accepts me no matter what."

"But-"

The carriage pulls up just then so she sighed. "Edward, what will it take to let me leave quietly?"

He looks thoughtfully at the carriage before answering, "Promise me you will not to marry anyone else."

"Alright under two conditions."

"Go on."

"One: You will at least try to see if any other girls are suitable but don't let it get in the way of your life. You are a good student Edward and an honourable man. Any woman would be lucky to have you."

"And your second condition?"

"It may be possible your mother never accepts me so if I do find a man who's family will forget my past because of the love he has for me, I will marry him."

He looked at her seriously then, meeting her gaze, and sighs before conceding, "That's fine. But just those two conditions."

She smiled gently at him, "Thank you, Edward. I truly appreciate it."

Edward smiles back and then lifts one of her hands to place a kiss on the back of it. "It is an honour to be held in the esteem of such an amazing woman. Please do stay in touch."

As she stood up, he slowly relinquished the hold on her hand. In silence, the two walk to the carriage and before she stepped in she leant over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for everything and of course I will. Goodbye."

He closes the door to the carriage and she watched him watching her as the carriage takes off and begins to leave his grounds.

Settling into the seats and closing her eyes, the tears she should have shed at the Marchioness' disdain beginning to leak now in the comfort of privacy.


	15. Chapter 14

"So you are telling me it can not possibly be Trancy or any of his servants?"

"Without a doubt Ciel." Y/N took a sip of my tea as she sat across from him in his study, waiting for his move on the chessboard.

He moves a bishop which takes her knight. "Yet you want to go back there?"

"I do not wish to go back there but it is a good base of operations," she moved a castle to take his bishop.

"Why not stay here?"

"Because of your betrothed."

"Elizabeth?" He takes a pawn with a castle.

"Unfortunately her mother can not help but inform everyone in my presence that I am beneath them." She took his castle with another pawn.

"Y/N I'm so-"

"Please don't pity me. I hate pity. If anyone deserves pity it is you after all you have suffered. I made my choices, I have committed my sins and I have paid partially for them. In time I will pay fully for my crimes; whether that is by the hand of the Queen or of the Lord is up to fate. Now take your turn."

He sighs before using his remaining castle to take out a bishop, "I still believe it is imbecilic of you to stay at the Trancy manor."

"Why?"

"He has done terrible things, there are skeletons in his closet."

"As there are in every ones. Also, checkmate."

He looks down and smirks, "One day I will beat you."

"Hopefully I will be alive long enough to see that happen."

"Y/N-"

"Well Ciel, if you do not see me by tomorrow, assume I am dead or am being held against my will. In which case, don't bother to rescue me. There is not much point. Especially if my murder would help your case against Trancy. Thank you for the tea and chess game," she then stood up and curtsied.

"Let me walk you out."

"Of course."

As we walk out she witnessed Sebastian scolding the cute gardener and the hot cook with no shirt on...

_NO SHIRT ON?_

She paused in her steps and visibly gawk at the underdressed American. Ciel, obviously not impressed, grabs onto her arm and drags her out.

"Y/N, you are always welcome and your room shall be kept up to standards. If you do not return tomorrow I will come and get you no matter what. Good day," with that he opens the door and pushes her towards the waiting carriage and driver.

_Ciel, you are still exactly the same..._

* * *

"Young master?"

He didn't look up from where he was by the window, the carriage disappearing out of his sight to head towards Trancy manor.

"Young master?"

"Yes, Sebastian, what is it?"

"How do you wish to retrieve Y/N tomorrow?"

He sighed and refused to look away from the window, "Use brute force. You will have to go so the other servants will protect the manor."

"Yes, young master."

_I will do anything no matter what even if the master had not ordered it. For Y/N..._


	16. Chapter 15

"Ah, young miss Y/N you're-"

"Undertaker, I've already paid your price, let's skip the pleasantries and get to it."

"Fine have it your way. I assume that you wish to know about the murders? Well, I will tell you more than I would tell the young Lord. Something unnatural is at work here but unlike the Jack the Ripper case it's not a supernatural force. It's the cards you see; they belong to something I do not know of."

"Enough riddles, just tell me what I wish to know."

He pouted, "You're no fun. Just for that, I won't offer you a biscuit."

_Thank the Lord for that._

"It's the cards, the normal ones are of no consequence but the tarot cards-"

"-If you even mention the word magic Undertaker I swear I will tell you-know-who of your whereabouts."

He frowned and then glared, "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?"

The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before he sighed, "The tarot cards have to belong to someone of foreign descent but not too foreign like your friend, Soma wasn't it?"

"He is not my friend," she hissed.

"Try an American or even someone French. Either that or someone who has regular imports of things such as..."

"Thank you for your time, Undertaker."

"You will be keeping my information quiet?"

"Of course, the Underground is full of snakes. Who am I to help them?"

The Undertaker pales. _So, it's not the Underground he's scared of, then who is it? A question for another time, perhaps._

"Well, I must go, good day Undertaker."

"Take care Lady Y/N, you need to in times such as these."

"Your ominous words do not scare me." So she stepped out and into the street.

_Supernatural? Surely not. I mean what kind of person would play around with forces beyond their kin? The idea is deplorable and even more stupid than-_

She's knocked off of her feet by a man running past me. After she pulled herself up, she could tell nothing of worth has been stolen by the man dressed in finery. It's then she recognised him as Sir Arthur Rendell. So why is he here? And running... _or fleeing..._

She quickly followed him, careful of her shoes on the cobbled stone until she followed him to an alleyway, the same alleyway that she had been saved by Soma in, to find him dead on his face with a card in his back.

_I'm too late._

"Such a shame to see someone in such a beautiful pair of red boots. I wonder if they'll fit. Oh well." The flippant tone is cut off by a whirring sound and before she can look away to inspect the body further, a blur of crimson rips through the body before jumping back to reveal the figure of...a woman?

"Well, I believe it is time to go back and see Bassy- Oh hello!"

"...Hello," Y/N replied hesitantly. In the woman's hands is a chainsaw about half the size of her. "I like your...red-"

"Oh darling thank you! I simply adore the colour, you would look fabulous in it as well! We should go shopping, right now-"

_Wait, what? Oh great the psycho with the chainsaw is going to murder me whilst shopping how great has my life turned out. Well, at least they're not the card murderer._

"-Will will let me have time off so I can shop. Us beautiful people have to stick together. Besides it's so hard being a grim reaper. I love my work but," the person sighed.

_A grim reaper? Wait...they collect souls and can see the memories of those deceased. If I can just-_

An arm encircled her shoulders, "Well let's go and buy you something more flattering!" The person then began to lead her out of the alleyway.

"I'm Y/N L/N by the way."

"Oh, well I'm Grell Sutcliff! The world's greatest lover of gorgeous men and the most fabulous grim reaper!"

* * *

After shopping for an hour, the two began the walk to the carriage that had been left by the Undertaker's for a while to deposit her new things.

Unfortunately, the red-haired reaper who Y/N had learnt is just a cross-dressing man, is not helpful and is extremely loud.

"-And darling that corset! Grr, I would ravage you~"

"Okay... So, about that man?"

"What about him," his tone lost its playful edge and has become sullen before becoming whiny, "Why is he more important than I am? I would do anything for you!"

"Anything?"

"Yes of course! Except give up Bassy!"

"...Would you tell me about that man?" Before he can whine Y/N interrupted, "It's how we met, I want to know all the details."

At this Grell perked up, "Well, what do you want to know specifically?"

"...How did he die and who killed him?"

"I don't know."

"Oh okay thank you...pardon?"

"I have no idea. I think it was poison, his life was filled with uncertainty. For all I know he could of been poisoned."

"But he was running-"

"-From nothing. Must have been a hallucination."

_Which means the Underground truly is involved... Hallucinations mean drugs so the drug trade._

_Lau._

"Thank you Grell, you've been so helpful!" Y/N hugged him quickly and then let go and jump in the carriage which starts immediately, leaving Grell behind.

_Tomorrow, I'm going to his hole._


	17. Chapter 16

Dinner was uneventful. Extremely quiet because only Alois and Y/Nwere eating and he kept peeking up at her from his almost constant glare at his food; a contrast to the boisterous behaviour she knew of him.

It was night time that aroused her suspicion of the Earl Trancy.

* * *

 

Claude had come into her room unannounced where she was doing some late reading and simply waited at the door for Y/N to stand, his eyes travelling down her body as he gazed at the shirt and trousers she had borrowed from one of the triplets with disgust, before turning around slowly and walking off. Obviously, he expected Y/N to follow, so she did.

* * *

 

At the door which she recognised as Alois' from her first visit, he stopped and opened the door, wordlessly gesturing for her to go inside.

As she walked into the room, she could feel his eyes burning into her until the door closed completely. Even as the door shut she could feel eyes on her back.

And thus she had begun to understand that although the Earl is a manipulative prick, he is also a lonely person. He must be; no mother, father or siblings. Just him living in a house so devoid of affection that he seeks it from others.

He reminded her of Ciel in an unusual way. Not the obvious idea of their status, their backgrounds or their power but their emotions. The two have lost both parents and have a handful of extraordinary servants who seem to be extremely loyal yet hiding something.

"Y/N?" She heard his voice call out in the darkness.

Navigating through the room was difficult but she managed to do it without bumping into anything.

"Y/N?" he calls again and she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

Only when she sat down on the bed, does she address him calmly, "Alois."

She could feel the covers shift as he sits up and moves his hands along the covers.

As she shifts towards him he whispers, "It's too dark. Can you put the light on? There are matches in the drawer."

She reached forwards and opened the drawer, fumbling around until she could feel a small box with ridges on the side. After pulling out a match, she struck it and sighed in relief at the sight of the light which takes the tension of the silence out of her shoulders. Using the light from the match, she lit the candles on the top of the drawer and stood up and lit the candles on the other side of the bed.

Once she had sat back down in her previous position, she finally rotated to observe the young Earl and he looks for once the scared child that she reasoned he should be. With red-rimmed wide eyes and tear tracks down his face, she could tell she had been called to console him.

_Great..._

"Y/N, tell me a story please."

_Fuuu-_

"What do you wish to hear, my lord?"

"Alois," he whispers softly and then sniffles. "I want to hear a story about change."

"Change?"

"I don't like fairy tales. I want a story that's real."

The silence is deafening as it fills the space in the room.

_What person doesn't want a happy ending all the time?_

Y/N coughed before beginning;

"Life is not always the best. For example, the poor die and live in a moment; lying in their filth in agony to be stolen from. The rich have it easier but death is not interested in money. A young girl knew this more than anyone."

"Was the young girl you?"

"Do you want a story or do you want me to leave?"

Alois kept his mouth shut.

"She had money and was not an only child, she was one of many. Due to this, her parents did not notice her unless she did anything incredible or stupid. Her family had many connections so one day she decided that she didn't need her parents' approval. So she ran away from home and disappeared. The end. Goodnight."

"That is not the end of the story. I wanted a story about change, not utter misery. Continue."

_There's the snarky little-_

"Of course that's not it." Y/N looked at the window and saw the curtains had not been drawn but there is no moon so I decide to simply watch the night sky.

"The girl did decide to run away so she did. She ran away to the port. There she met a man and a woman from a far away land who took her in. There she became more than the noble she was born to be. A weapon, a strategist and a part of a family. After she became of age her parents found her and dragged her back; forcing her to lose the behaviour she had learnt from her family. The girl wished she was dead so she took it out on people down the local pub; brawling for money or simply because she was too drunk to care. The girl never gained the attention of her parents and every time she tried to escape she was always rejected by the family from far-away."

"This isn't a nice story," he said before yawning and moving to get under his covers in a reclining position.

"No, but it's not over. The girl had a decision to make: spend the rest of her life being the cooped up little girl her parents wanted to marry off to the highest bidder but in a position to help others or be free," she sighed with her last word.

"And then?"

"She made her choice. She gave up her freedom to help people."

"Why?"

"Because freedom is worth nothing if you have to watch others suffer for it. If you are in a position to help you should. Not give up your wealth and share it with the poor but try to be kind, give help when it is sought and to be someone you would respect."

"Not someone others should respect?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because everyone is as important as they believe. The girl learnt that as well. So she used her position, her parent's connections, her siblings and her title to help others in any way she could. But the girl would always remember the taste of freedom, the smell of illegal smoke and the sounds of revelry; drunken and sober, for the rest of her days. It is those memories that made the girl capable of living without falling into a constant abyss that she could not crawl out of."

Alois yawned and nuzzled into his pillow, "Is that the end?"

"There is never truly an end, only a pause in time in which we must reflect."

"You're very wise."

"So would you be if you were disadvantaged."

"Can I tell you a story Y/N?"

She hesitated before answering, "Yes, you may."

"Get into bed then."

"Excuse me?"

_The nerve of this boy._

"A story has to be told in bed so get in."

"I'm not going to-"

"Please," he's scarily quiet, only slightly louder than a whisper and she could hear his tone beginning to waver and a quick look at his face informed her that he is on the verge of tears.

Sighing, she slid into the bed wordlessly and felt his arms slip around my body in a death grip. In turn, she kept her eyes on the door - even when he nuzzled into her back with his arms encircling her waist.

"Once upon a time there was a little boy called Jim. Jim had a brother and parents. His parents died."

_How cheerful. Could this be his life before becoming Alois?_

"Jim and his brother were poor and hated by the village people so Luke, the boy's brother, made a wish. He wished that they would go away. So they did. Dying painfully in a fire. So did Luka. His price to pay for the wish because it was fulfilled."

_What is it with the Earls and loved ones dying in a fire?_

"Jim wandered through the lands to find somewhere he could be safe. Instead, he was taken by men to the Trancy manor. A man who did unspeakable things to the young boys brought to the manor. So he wanted..."

"Wanted what?"

He just nuzzled deeper into her back.

"Wanted what?"

He was quiet before he lifted his head away from her back to whisper into her ear, "Y/N, I have a secret. I want to trust you but how can I? This is so big and..."

"Trust me because you have me in your bed and I trust you enough not to kill me in my sleep. Trust me to take the weight off of your shoulders because I have never had anyone to do the same for me."

"...Okay," he concedes, "I made a contract to have freedom. With a demon. I sold my soul and in turn that old man was killed. I don't regret it. Do you think any less of me now?"

"No. How can I? I would have done the same if not worse."

"Thank you," he whispers, squeezing her tighter and nuzzling into her neck, "Thank you."

"For what?"

She doesn't get an answer but she could tell he had not fallen asleep so quickly. "You could be worse. I've met worse."

He twitches slightly as he buries his face deeper into her shoulder so she whispered, "Tomorrow I have to leave. I have to go back-"

"-home?"

"No." _If I had it my way I would never go back to that hellhole._

"Then stay here."

She stopped talking, tired of arguing and fell into a deep sleep.


	18. Chapter 17

"PLEASE DON'T GO!"

She simply grasped his hands lightly, forcing him to look up at her. "Alois, one day I'll come back. In fact, any invitation you ever send me I will accept immediately."

"R-Really?"

"Of course."

"Thank you," he hugged her tightly, letting go of her hands. "I love you. Please come back to me someday."

"You can count on it. Goodbye Alois." Y/N stepped into the carriage and was soon off to Phantomhive manor, leaving the Trancy manor behind.

_Goodbye Trancy Manor. May your secrets not bleed out from your bricks._

* * *

"Are we going to talk about your time at the Trancy manor at all?"

"No," Y/N punctuated her sentence with a sip of tea.

"Y/N please-"

"No." Another sip of tea.

"It is my concern as your best friend-"

"I don't care."

"Y/N you are being completely unreasonable here. I just wish to take care of you."

"Ciel there is nothing you can do. Now I must be off," she replied, standing up.

"Wait!" Hurriedly he stands up himself and follows her out of the room. "You only just got back! You have been here for less than an hour-"

"-Precisely, which means I have not wasted a full hour. Now I have to go. There is a lead that I must follow."

"Does it have something to do with the case?"

"Yes."

"Then I am coming as well."

_Oh for the love of..._

"Sebastian! Prepare the carriage!"

* * *

"Ah, Earl Phantomhive, how are you today?"

"Lau, I am not here for pleasantries."

"No. I know why you're here."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me, why am I here?"

"Oh, you don't know?"

"Of course I know."

"Then why are you asking me? I don't know."

The two nobles sweat dropped simultaneously.

"What I do know is that you've brought _her_ with you."

"And?"

"Before I speak to you I must talk to her. Alone."

"Of course," Sebastian answered for his lord, "We will be right outside. Come call for us when you wish to talk.

And then she was left with them.


	19. Chapter 18

_What is she talking about?_

_Why is she taking so long?_

_What if she's hurt? Or dead?_

"Young master?" asked Sebastian, drawing Ciel out of his thoughts as the scantily-clad server left them, their tea now served in elegant china cups that rested on the small wooden table with a clean burgundy tablecloth over it.

"Yes?"

"May I ask what it is you are thinking so heavily about? Is it the young lady Y/N?"

"No, and even if it was, why would it matter? I have known Y/N for a long time. She's intelligent. What could possibly be happening that she can't handle?"

"Young master-"

"Good evening." A young scantily clad Asian woman bowed."Are either of you the Earl Ciel Phantomhive?"

"Yes, this here is the Earl."

"Ah, please follow me. Master Lau is waiting for you."

* * *

 

"Ah, Earl Phantomhive, what a surprise. I was not expecting you."

The butler and master pair sweat dropped at the forgetfulness of the Asian man in front of them.

"Why are you here?"

"The young master and I are here to gain the information you promised Lady L/N."

"Ah, yes. Well, the cards are definitely foreign but not too foreign."

"What does that even mean?"

"It is not foreign to Y/N so it is someone she knows. Lau are you sure about this?"

"Have I ever not been sure Earl Phantomhive?"

_Do I even need to answer that?_

"By the way," Sebastian calmly diffused the situation, "Where is Y/N?"

Lau shrugged, "How should I know?"

Ciel sighed before ordering his butler, "Sebastian, go find Lady L/N and we shall head home."

As Sebastian quickly retreated he could hear the questions begin about who exactly was the murderer...

* * *

Sebastian had found the seediest pub on the port, well-known for its danger and bad attitude, and sighed.

_I just fixed this jacket._

Walking in he observed the true chaos inside. Men and women were scantily-clad and rutting like beasts on the edges of the tavern. A game of snooker had eyeballs as the balls (freshly ripped out from the looks of it). Blood had stained the floorboards so much they looked like natural mahogany in places. Various bodily fluids and entrails were slicked across the walls by the door.

And there sat on her own in her elegant dress and lady's attire was Y/N L/N.

"Lady L/N-"

"Ah, Sebastian! Hey, how are ya doing?"

His eyes narrowed in accusation as he stated, "You are drunk."

"Pfft, no," She waved him off and grabbed the stool to steady herself, "Drunk? I've only had...How many have I had?"

"Lady L/N please come with me. The young master wants you to come with us to the manor."

"OI! POSH PRICKS!"

The butler and the young lady turned to look at the giant of a man who had just shouted at them. With a scar across his jaw that looked like it had been re-opened recently and wiry fire for hair, he was obviously dangerous.

"THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN' HERE?" He roared with a Scottish accent. "YOU ENGLIS' ARE ALL THE SAME."

"Sir if you would please calm down-" Sebastian was interrupted by the Scotsman's rant.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE I SHOULD RAPE YOUR LITTLE WHORE! SHE SEEMS UP FOR IT DRESSED LIKE A NOBLE IN A SEEDY PLACE LIKE THIS!"

"If you dare lay a hand on me I will end you."

"Oh yeah and how the fu-"

Quick as a flash the young lady had picked up the stool she was sat on and brought it up and over his head to swing it down. The man fell down with a thud and the chaos of a bar fight was unleashed.

Sebastian leapt into action when a man tried to grab the young mistress, clutching his neck in one hand and slinging him away like a rag doll thrown across the room. Y/N kept hitting the man on the floor with the stool, blood starting to roll down his skin.

Smoke began to fill the room as someone knocked over a gas lamp to jump at Sebastian, resulting in his neck snapping as he crashed against the floor.

More people began to swarm the two, Sebastian fighting off anyone that went near the young woman as the young woman bashed the body of the Scotsman before relinquishing her hold on the stool to kick his body. As a man ran up to hit her, she grabbed a glass off of the bar and smashed it over his head. By this point, the barman had left and was not going to complain about a single glass in the mess that would be left over, if anything was left over because the fire was spreading quickly.

"LADY L/N, WE MUST BE GOING NOW!"

Before she could protest he had her in a bridal style grip and fled the scene to where Sebastian had left his master.

As he walked he heard her mumble, "Thanks for that Sebastian." She then proceeded to pass out in his arms.

_She's so adorable, snuggled up like a kitten..._

* * *

Later that evening, Sebastian and Ciel were in the study discussing the young woman curled up in Ciel's chair and her relationship with the card murderer.

"Who could it be? Her mother? Her cousins? A sibling? What do you know of her family, young master?"

"Y/N's siblings and father are dead. Her father died for the Queen and her brothers all did the same. Her only sister died in childbirth which killed the child also. She is the only female in the immediate family so she gets everything when her mother dies."

"So it could be the mother?"

Ciel scoffed, "The countess L/N is an extreme gossip who is always in the public eye. She does not sleep at home. She either stays at a friend's or a gentleman caller. With her drinking habits, she could die in the next five years. If she was the card murderer I would be surprised because she was barely educated in order to be submissive."

"Is Y/N like her mother?"

"No. She educated herself from a young age, spying on her brother's lessons and spending time in the library. It is how we became friends rather than simple acquaintances. She wanted to know about the correct way to calculate something so she sought out our library to borrow a book. It so happened I was in there at the same time. The rest, as they say, is history."

"Ah. So it must be-"

"-one of her cousins. But which one?"

"How many cousins does she have, young master? You looked at her family tree earlier."

"Seven. She has seven. The twins Emilia and Cordelia of the Anworth family."

"The Anworths specialise in foreign exports of all kinds do they not?"

With a nod, Ciel continued, "Gerard Jenkings. His family's main export is paper-based goods such as scrolls, books and other forms. Harris Harvey-Lottway, a rumoured homosexual who was disowned by his family due to his orientation which was discovered accidentally by a young Y/N who simply wished to show her mother and aunt the sight of the pond outside."

"So obviously he holds a grudge. Then how did she discover him?"

"Harris and the gardener were scandalously by the pond. His younger brother Charles runs the family business now of medical supplies and Asian exports through Lau."

"And what about the other two?" inquired Sebastian.

"The Ashbridges; Phillip and his younger sister Angelica. Their family runs most of the other family businesses because of their ties with foreign exports, connections in society and their otherwise irrefutable honour."

"Almost?"

"The siblings are... sinfully close."

"Incest?"

"Like the pharaohs of old."

"So they all have motivations of course. If any one of them killed Y/N they would gain the security of the L/N name and the favour of the court."

"Then it is up to us to protect her."

"Oh, young master," Sebastian smirked, "Whatever would young lady Elizabeth think? What with you protecting another woman?"

Ciel snorted, "She wants Y/N to be her sister through marriage to Edward. I could kiss her and Elizabeth would make herself blind to it because she is optimistically delusional."

At this Sebastian quirked an eyebrow but allowed the conversation to end, watching as his master moved to the chair and picked up the young lady who slept on soundly.

"I will see to it she gets to bed. Sebastian, I order you to protect Y/N, no matter what," and with that, he left the room slowly with the girl in his arms.

_Oh, Y/N. Why do you bring so much trouble?_


	20. Chapter 19

"Mornin' miss Y/N! The young master is waiting for you, yes he is!"

"Mm," she groaned and tucked herself deeper into the covers, her head swimming. "No."

"But miss, the young master requests you. Right away miss!"

_My head is pounding..._

"Mey-Rin please just give me another hour."

"Miss...Is it because of last night?" she whispers for which Y/N was incredibly grateful for.

"Yes. I had a little too much to drink, I'm afraid."

"Then take a bath, miss! I've already drawn one! I'll leave you to it and come back later!"

"Thank you Mey-Rin," she whispered and begin to roll out of bed as the maid hurriedly left the room.

The room is spinning as she flopped onto the floor, slowly crawling across the floor and trying to quell the bile fighting it's way up her throat.

_I'm very naked._

_Fantastic._

* * *

"So we must talk to the families one by one. How shall we do it?"

"Well young master, I believe that we should ask Y/N because the family is full of gossip so she would know the circulation patterns of each."

"Of course. Where is Y/N?"

"I do not know. Mey-Rin was sent to get her hours ago."

"That maid...Nevermind, go and fetch- Actually, I shall do it myself," and with that, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive left his study and headed up the stairs to go look for the young lady who was the centre of the case.

* * *

"Y/N?" Ciel called as he knocked on the door. "Y/N, may I come in?"

She didn't answer.

_Perhaps she's asleep._

"Y/N I am coming in," Ciel called as he opened the door hesitantly.

The room was still as neat as it had been when she had arrived. Her clothes were obviously in the wardrobe as the doors were wide open, dresses Ciel had bought for her to one side; untouched.

_Of course, she wouldn't wear them. She has always been peculiar about other buying her things._

_Where is she?_

The bathroom door was ajar so he walked in and froze at the door at the sight he saw.

* * *

"Firstly I must apologise for the spectacle in the bathroom."

The two nobles were sat in the dining hall next to each other, eating the traditional English breakfast that Sebastian had been able to salvage from the mess Baldroy had created that morning.

"Why? All you did was that you came into the room I was staying in, in your manor, and saw me undressed and passed out."

"Y/N, I-"

"I actually have to thank you. If you hadn't come to get me I would have drowned. Now, what was it you wished to discuss?"

"Well, we have found out that the murderer has to be related to you somehow. Obviously not your mother so it is either one or more of your seven main cousins."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Tell me, which one is most likely to not tell the others we have visited?"


	21. Chapter 20

"Hello cousin," the twins greeted her in unison as she hopped out of the carriage. "We would have prepared better if we knew the Earl Phantomhive was coming. Please follow us to the dining room for brunch."

The hallowed halls of Ashbridge manor were as hauntingly quiet as Y/N had remembered, even more so since the Ashbridge parents had died, leaving the two siblings alone. They had sacked all of their staff but remained in the family home. No one but cousins of the Ashbridges had ever set foot in the manor. Until now.

Sebastian and Ciel followed the possible murderers and Y/N deeper into the darkness of the manor. Cobwebs lined every frame and littered the bannisters of the grand staircase. The mahogany fixtures had gouges in them. The floor panels were squeaking with the steps of the group, so unused to more than two people's weight on them.

Overall the place was a mess.

When they were sat down at the obviously unused table, Y/N asked, "I wasn't aware that you still had servants, what changed?"

"Well," Phillip replied before taking a sip of wine that a servant had just poured, "When mother and father died, we didn't want to suffer the indignity so we re-hired some of the main staff from our childhood. Isn't that right, sister dear?"

"Yes, brother dear."

"So we hired some more people. Now, cousin dear before we discuss what you wish to discuss...the subject of payment?"

"Payment?" inquired Ciel.

Without looking at the Earl, Angelica replied, "Nothing to concern yourself with. Just a matter of family confidentiality. You know how it is, do you not. Now, brother dear what should we ask of cousin Y/N?"

The eerily similar and close siblings hummed at the same time, their green eyes shining with ill intentions. Phillip with short black hair was the exact image of his sister, if not for her lack of feminine physique they would be different, so it did not surprise me when he simply stated, "The same as usual."

_Of course._

"Ah, yes. We do have a few...friends who are interested in your...work, cousin. Do you agree to this?"

"Of course. We need this information."

The two smirked and I could see their hands move to clutch the others between them.

"Y/N-"

"Please do not address our cousin so informally. It is rather presumptuous. Now, what is the information you seek?"

"You must have heard about the card murders, yes?"

"We have, why?"

"One of our cousins is the murderer. We need to find which of the seven of you have done it."

"Couldn't have been us. We don't leave the manor. Ever."

"What need do we have to leave?

"We have each other, right sister dear?"

"Always my dearest brother."

They began to gaze intently into the other's eyes, their mouths moving closer so Y/N coughed. Still, they did not part so she asked, "Who do you believe could have done it?"

"It couldn't have been Harris-"

"-He has no money. Besides, did you not read the paper this morning?"

"No, why?" she asked, looking to Ciel for an answer. He shrugged.

"He died-"

"-because of the cards."

_One suspect down, six to go._

* * *

"Lady L/N?"

"Ciel." Y/N turned to face away from the window she had been looking at the Anworth manor through. "You do not have to call me that. We do not need the formalities."

"I apologise, there is just something about them that-"

"-Chills you to the core?"

His eyes widen in surprise before he relaxes, "You always did know what I was thinking."

She hummed thoughtfully before answering quietly, "Their relationship has always been unorthodox. When we were younger I would have been engaged to Phillip-" Ciel looks horrified as if the idea of Phillip marrying her was worse than anything imaginable. "-Had it not been for the fact that with my father and all of my male siblings dead, mother became the head of the house. As you know, mother has never been that invested in my life so she left me to my own devices in order to party and so the marriage was never arranged."

"So then why-"

"Why do the siblings seem so close?" At his nod, she sighed and then continued, "I do not know exactly but I have my suspicions. For gossips, my family holds the most secrets. For example, it wasn't an accident. Their parents' death I mean."

"You mean that-"

"Someone killed them. Yes. I believe that the siblings killed their parents. Why? I do not know but I believe it wasn't their relationship. That began a year after they secluded themselves in the manor. The two took comfort in each other because they had no one else. I believe they're good people but unlike myself, they had no one. When my family died, leaving me alone with a distant mother, I had you."

Ciel blushed and stuttered, "W-Well, that's nice b-but-"

"Oh look we're here."

* * *

"So that resulted in nothing."

It was true, the Anworth manor was reduced to nothing. It had burnt down and amongst the ashes was left a card; ace of diamonds.

_Hopefully, they got out but I won't count on it._

"Three of the suspects are dead, shall we check out the two remaining?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

_I never realised I would have missed them this much._

"So...Jenkings or Lottway?"


	22. Chapter 21

"Charles, how nice of you to invite us," Y/N started as they were all sat down at the dinner table, "I do hope that it hasn't been too much effort to arrange a meeting to have both myself and the Earl Phantomhive along with his butler in your company."

He simply grunted in reply, his hands shoved deeper into his pockets as he leant against his desk facing the two nobles sat in chairs in front of him. Charles was a tall lean and very serious man with a mop of long dark curls that he tied at his neck with a ribbon. Dressed in the L/N family colours of black and yellow with a bumblebee pin that belonged to Y/N's father, he looked like the true heir to the L/N family rather than the woman sat in front of him, dressed in a light blue dress with black accents with no adornments, who actually was.

"Now, onto business. As you may or may not know, depending upon if you read the news, our cousins are dying off very quickly. At least the one's in England are. One of those, I'm sorry to say, was your brother, Harris."

Another grunt and Charles kick off of the desk to go sit behind it, his elbows digging into the polished wooden surface with various letters, newspapers and other things that denote his interest or lack thereof in his company.

"May I offer my condolences as well?"

The two cousins looked at Ciel; one approvingly while the other held a calculating gleam in their eye.

"You may," conceded Charles in a rough voice from his year's of smoking.

"Then I offer my condolences. I'm sorry for your loss."

"I'm not."

Y/N simply rolled her eyes at the peacocking between the two men.

"Now onto business, why are you here with my cousin?"

"The investigation-"

"I understand that but why are you with my cousin."

"The investigation requires her help."

Charles snorted, "No it doesn't. She's a woman. Besides, she can't because I say that she can't. My word is law in the L/N family."

"Well, my understanding is that she is the head of her house in her mother's absence."

"So? She's a woman."

"Ciel please, we're not here for this. Now Charles-"

"Hush Y/N, the men are talking."

A silence fell over the room as the Earl clenched his jaw with closed fists that pressed into the wood of his chair as the lady in question simply sat as serenely as she had since they had sat down in the study. The butler's eyes flashed fuschia in absence of his otherwise physical expression of the emotions he felt in that moment.

A maid entering the room broke the silence and although most relaxed at the sight of beverages, the Earl remained just as tense as he had been if not more so that his friend had remained so composed in spite of her cousin's remarks.

After the tea and sandwiches had been served the Earl began to speak once more, "Your lordship, what do you know and be truthful in the name of her majesty the queen and-"

"I don't know anything. As far as I know, my cousins have been dead and in the ground for ages. The only one I concern myself with is Y/N and only because I wish for her to be my wife and upon her mother's death I shall make it so."

"Have you gone mad? What would cause you to say something like that?"

Charles quirked an eyebrow at his temper, "Oh, but is it not a similar arrangement as the one you have with your own?"

The silence that returned was answer enough for Charles.

He smirked, "I thought so. Anyway, why would I murder any of our cousins and not her mother? If I wanted the match between us so badly I would have destroyed everything in our way. Including you Earl Phantomhive."

"So you haven't been aiding the killer?"

Charles barked a laugh, "Lord no. If I had I would have benefited so much more from it. Now I believe you must take my sweet cousin out of here, I have a rather urgent matter to get to."

The maid stilled in her movements of clearing up before relaxing with a shattered exhale of a deep breath. The maid held an uncanny resemblance to Y/N if not for her face which was mostly burned as could be seen from the gaps in the loosely wrapped bandages around her face.

As they left the room they heard a loud moan, the sound of slurping and Y/N's name accompanied with a deep groan.

* * *

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Y/N did not reply, instead watched the scenery pass by as the carriage made its way to the house of her final cousin.

"Well, I wish to talk about it. Y/N what did he mean about the-"

"Engagement? Easy. You know of my love for beautiful things. It began with him and it ended for him many years ago within the same year."

"How?"

She sighed before answering, "I was besotted with him as a child even though he is twenty years older. He was like a knight out of a story and I could not help but be drawn to him like a moth to a flame. With dark hair and deep blue eyes that were like the ocean he was my lord and saviour."

"What changed?"

"The maid. The same maid there. She was given to him as a gift from a hunting party. She looks so similar to me in colouring it's uncanny, we could be sisters. However, her face...her facial structure was vastly different to mine. The complete opposite actually. I didn't realise he wanted her to look like me. So one night he asked my mother for my hand in marriage but she was too grief-stricken to answer so he sought solace in the maid when drunk. Naturally, men let their baser urges take over them so whilst she was making him happy...he called out my name. She didn't care but he did. He did so much. He asked her 'why are you not reacting? She would fight me! FIGHT ME!'. When she didn't because she had been beaten into submission by his brother Harris, he flew into a blind rage," she took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly to regain her composure, "Charles grabbed her by her hair which he had made her grow to look like mine and dragged her over to the fireplace in his study. He held her face into the fire for a long time. No one came to stop him. No one came to the sounds of her screams. No one. Not even me."

"The how did you..."

"I was sat under his desk, playing a game of hide and seek with a servant girl. I was frozen in fear that I would be caught."

"Y/N I-"

The carriage jolted to a stop.

_Finally, the most likely murderer. The end of our journey._


	23. Chapter 22

"He's...He's dead?" Y/N whispered, her voice extremely hoarse as she shook in her spot outside the door of her cousin's study.

"Yes miss, I'm terribly sorry for your loss. He was found dead this morning in his study after his first appointment," admitted a maid who's face was mainly hidden by her white cap that was casting a dark shadow over her features.

"That's...That's impossible."

The maid's head remained bowed as she nodded, "I understand your grief but unfortunately he is dead. I'm really sorry miss."

"He can't be dead. He can't be dead. This doesn't make sense," Y/N began to mutter as she stared at the mint green carpet where the blood stain had set.

"Y/N please calm down. In fact, Sebastian take her back to the carriage please."

"Yes young master," Sebastian replied and grabbed the young lady's arm before gently guiding her shocked form outside to leave Ciel inside with the maid.

* * *

"Lady L/N?"

She simply rocked herself back and forth in her seat, silent as she had been for the past half an hour.

"Lady L/N the master will be back any minute please just talk to me so I can assure him you are fine."

At her refusal to stop he sighed and pulled her into his arms.

"It will all work out," he whispered into her hair, "I promise you."

"Sebastian!" Ciel shouted outside the carriage, "Let's head back to the manor now."

Sebastian relinquished his hold of the woman he had come to care for and left the carriage to ready the horses for the journey. Ciel replaced him but propriety left him sitting next to her with half a person between them.

As the carriage started Ciel took in the sight of his friend. He had never seen her this upset since...Since the death of most of her family. She was catatonic, did not leave her room for days. Y/N did not eat, did not sleep and did not do anything but try to find an answer or a reason for their deaths. The look on her face was haunting as it had been then; far too old for her. Far too scared for anyone.

For the first time in a while, Ciel did not have any control and he had no idea what to do about it.

A sniffle broke him out of his thoughts.When he looked at her he saw the tears that threatened to break but the Lady was far too proud to let them be shed.

Ciel sighed and shuffled over, pulling her half into his arms and began to whisper into her hair reassurances.

"Y/N I swear to you on my family I will find the killer of your family. I swear it."

* * *

"It's the maid," Y/N finally whispered once sat in the comfort of Ciel's chair in her nightgown and dressing gown, Ciel sat in the seat where guests usually sat.

"I beg your pardon?" Even Sebastian looked surprised.

"The maid looked familiar and...my cousin hated women. The Jenkings family has always employed men because women are not competent enough."

"Lady L/N, perhaps he had a change of heart."

She simply shook her head.

Ciel nodded in understanding, "She's right. As always," this brought a small smile to both of their lips, "Which means the maid didn't work for him. So who could it be?"

They began to ponder their suspects when a stampede of footsteps erupted outside the door, growing louder as they came nearer to the study.

"The young m-master is entertaining some people at the moment. Sir? Sir!" Mey-Rin cried as the door swung open.

"PHANTOMHIVE?"

"TRANCY?"


	24. Chapter 23

The ball was beautiful and set up perfectly. The Trancy manor was a sight to behold in a splendour of drapes in magenta and sparkling silverware. Glasses of white wine were stacked on a table, food laid out in plentiful supply and tablecloths with the Trancy insignia stamped across in a checkered pattern of vanity.

Best of all, all of the alive L/Ns who were suspects were in attendance.

"Y/N! I hope you're enjoying the party!" Alois crowed as he clutched Y/N's waist tightly.

"I am, thank you for inviting me. It is a pleasure to be back here."

"You don't ever have to leave if you don't want to!"

"Your highness, your other guests need your attention. It is your duty."

With a sigh he flounces off, looking back over his shoulder at her occasionally yet Claude remains behind.

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?" with that he is off, following the path of fake laughter that Alois lets echo around the room.

"I thought he would never leave."

Without turning to face the figure, Y/N greeted them, "Hello Ciel."

"Y/N, have you any leads?"

"But of course," with a smirk she swiped a glass of wine from a nearby table, "I am just not able to pursue them in this dress."

"It would be a shame to ruin such a lovely dress, my lady."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, Sebastian. Ever the charmer."

The dress was a full skirt wonder in the L/N colours. The outside of the dress was ink black, a deep contrast to the inner skirt and the front of the sweetheart line bodice in a vibrant gold. Overall, it would be difficult to pursue the suspect they had that evening.

"We shall speak later. Come, Sebastian. We must hurry."

"Why is that, Ciel?"

"The young master has just seen his fiancee's family."

Ciel blushed before huffing and rushing off to avoid the horrors that would befall him at the hands of the Midfords. With a sly smile, Sebastian bowed and left to follow his master.

_Oh what an evening this could turn out to be..._

* * *

 

Somebody bumped into her side but before she could apologise they had dropped the contents of their glass onto her front. Gasping, she clutched the fabric, feeling the chill burn its way through the fabric to drill it's way into her skin.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologises, fanning her front in that hope that it dries.

The person snatched her wrist in a firm hold and hastily yanked her out of the room and through the twisting corridors and upstairs until they were in a billiards room near the top of the house.

"Please let go of me! Let go!"

Letting go, the person stepped away to look at the window, "He did not do it, my dear. No need to arrest someone for a crime he did not commit."

"How can you possibly know that he didn't do it?"

"Because I did."


	25. Chapter 24

"Mother?"

"Of course dear, do you not recognise your own flesh and blood?"

"Why-"

"To keep us safe. Do you realise what they would have done to get your inheritance? They would have done the same...maybe worse."

"Our cousins may be... peculiar but-"

"Do you not owe the incestuous ones a favour? If I recall their favours require you to try your hand at peculiar surgeries. Just like the one that stopped her breasts growing anymore or how about-"

"Stop. What do you want with all of this? If what you are saying is true I will have to have you arrested."

"Jump and you will learn the truth."

"Excuse me? Mother, have you gone insane?"

Y/N's mother spun on her heel to glare at her daughter, "I have seen the truth. Your father, may the Lord bless his soul, died because of peculiarities in the family. If not for the fact of honour he would not have died and left me alone!"

"Mother please-"

"NO!" With a quick swipe, Y/N's mother pulled out a gun from the front of her corset, "YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME! NOW SIT!"

Frozen, Y/N remained still. Her breath caught in her throat and her blood cooled in her veins.

"SIT!"

At her mother's insistence, also emphasised by her pointed glare and aided by the weapon she held, Y/N sat down. _What would the point be in fighting be against a woman holding a gun, an emotional woman who ran a munitions, artillery and weaponry company?_

  


"CIEL!"

The young Earl was tackled by his fiancee dressed in a candyfloss pink ballgown with her signature curly pigtails. They laid sprawled on the floor with Ciel wriggling to get out from under her until her Mother arrived.

"ELIZABETH! THIS IS NOT HOW A YOUNG LADY BEHAVES!"

Rolling off of him, Lizzie pouted but stood up, all the same, to fall into step next to her Mother.

"MY NEPHEW IS SO ADOR-"

"HUSBAND!"

Cowed, Alexis fell back in an equally dejected pose as his daughter.

With a sigh, the Marchioness turned to watch as her nephew stood up before she asked, "Have you seen the Lady L/N?"

"No, why?"

"I wish to speak to her about the engagement. Edward believes we got off on the wrong foot. I simply do not understand the girl."

"Then perhaps we should look for her...with our host's permission of course," Edward interjected as he strolled forwards to stand with the rest of his family.

With a sigh, Ciel locked eyes with Alois and a look of understanding spread over his face.

_This is going to be difficult without alerting the Midfords to Sebastian's true capabilities._

  


"Have you finished?"

Relinquishing her hold on the pen, Y/N moved her head to allow her mother to look over her shoulder and to move her wild waving of the gun.

After a few seconds of scanning, she asked, "What is this?"

"A letter," Y/N replied simply.

"Why is it spelt weirdly?"

"It's French."

"FRENCH? WHERE DID YOU LEARN FRENCH?"

"I don't know."

With a huff, Y/N's mother pulled the gun back so she could grasp Y/N's collar, "Nevermind. Now come on, to the window."

  


**CRASH**

"WHERE IS SHE?" Alois roared as he recoiled from the kick he had landed on the base of a vase.

"We do not know as of yet, your highness."

"I NEED TO SEE HER, NOW!"

"Yes, your highness."

Alois watched them leave before falling to his knees on the plush carpet. When they were gone from sight, Alois withdrew a small box from his pocket.

"When I see you next," he whispered to himself as he opened the box to reveal a small ring, "I will make sure you will never leave again."

  


"Mother, please allow me to go search the upstairs."

"No. Now sit down."

"Please Mother, I need-"

"No, Edward. Now sit down."

"Moth-"

"Sit. Down," the Marchioness hissed before taking a sip of wine.

"No."

At his refusal his mother nearly spat out her wine.

"I'm going and you can't stop me." True to his words he ran out of the small sitting room, away from the guests to calm down.

_I'm coming, Y/N. Please be safe and well._

  


"Sebastian, I order you to find Y/N."

"Yes, young master."

  


_Little did they know, they would all be too late._


	26. Epilogue

The church was silent. That was how they wanted it to be, after the priest had said the rites. The silence was a void, a symbol of the void she left behind.

_Y/N, I will avenge you..._

_Y/N, I will make them suffer..._

_Y/N, I will bring you back..._

_Y/N..._

  


Outside the graveyard, high up in the trees stood a pair of peculiar people as different as night and day. One had crimson extravagantly long hair, a fabulous magenta coat and most parts of a suit. The other wore a neat suit with slicked back hair. The only similarity between the

"You know, maybe she should see them..."

"Are you mad? You know why she can't it's against regulations and-" with a sigh he cut himself off before muttering, "Are you really going to talk to them about Y/N one day?"

The red head grinned widely like a Cheshire cat, "Of course."

_After all, she never finished her adventure..._


End file.
